Luminaire assemblies include a housing for enclosing and protecting electrical components required for operation of the luminaire. The optical assembly is generally comprised of a lighting unit and a refractor for producing and directing light of various intensities. These prior art designs often utilize electrical assemblies that are wired directly to the lighting unit through the use of a plurality of wires, splicing means, permanent connecting means, and the like.
Direct wired electrical assemblies have been used to ensure proper electrical contact between system components. Designs have resulted in increased installation and maintenance costs because of the minimal flexibility afforded by the mechanical design. For example, particular system components of traditional luminaire assemblies may require repair, replacement and adjustment. In high pressure sodium systems, for example, starters, ballasts and capacitors require routine maintenance. Similarly, the wattage characteristics, voltage characteristics or both may require adjustment to provide the proper amount of illumination and to conserve energy. These maintenance procedures include the disassembly of sometimes heavy and awkward parts as well as the removal, splicing and reconnection of electrical wires. Because of the direct wired design of previous systems, these maintenance procedures must also be performed on site or, the luminaire must be temporarily disabled while the particular component is repaired in the laboratory or factory.
The optical units of the prior art luminaire assemblies are also known to require routine repair, replacement and maintenance. For example, it is known that refractors and lighting units often must be replaced when the surfaces are penetrated by foreign substances or when they have been fractured as a result of weather conditions or tampering. These time-consuming and labor intensive maintenance procedures must be performed on-site and on a regular basis.
The maintenance procedures referenced above are, of course, further hindered during adverse weather conditions including heavy winds, rain and snow as well as extreme temperature gradients. The maintenance complications inherent in the prior art luminaire assembly designs have resulted in increased labor and maintenance costs which, in turn, have caused purchasers and luminaire designers to turn their attention toward viable design alternatives.
In addition to hindering repair and replacement of components, luminaire assemblies of the prior art suffer from a lack of flexibility in design. These designs make insufficient use of subassemblies, though it is well known that flexibility increases with proper employment of subassemblies. For example, instead of individually mounting small components such as starters, ballasts and capacitors to a lighting unit, it may be possible to instead attach them to a base or platform. This platform would comprise a subassembly which is then mounted to the lighting unit. Modified or new electrical components may then be incorporated into the platform. The platform can be modified to accept the new component inexpensively and quickly without affecting any other part of the luminaire. Creation of the most efficient number and type of subassemblies which allow for flexibility in design is an important object of current designers for ornamental luminaires.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,351,174 issued Sep. 27, 1994 to Ewing; 5,243,508 issued Sep. 7, 1993 to Ewing et al. and 3,071,683 issued to Queale; Ewing et al., and Queale, respectively, disclose prior art luminaire designs of the type referenced above. The '174 patent discloses a modular luminaire assembly which includes a top mounted ballast housing and a depending glass refractor or optical unit. The optical unit is removably affixable to the underside of the top mounted housing and an electrical assembly is removably affixable to the upper side of the top mounted housing. However, a cover plate must first be removed to access the electrical components. A hinged cover closes the housing after the electrical assembly is inside the housing.
The '508 patent discloses a modular luminaire assembly for receiving assorted optical assemblies and assorted electrical assemblies in a base housing. A removable panel closes an opening in the base housing and is replaceable along with the electrical assembly supported thereon. The modular design of the '508 patent requires the housing enclosing the electrical subassembly to be directly affixed to the optical assembly and requires the user to replace the cover panel whenever the electrical components are replaced.
The '683 patent discloses a luminaire having a lighting unit, a refractor, and an electrical assembly wherein the luminaire is pivotably affixed to the luminaire housing at one end. The electrical components are directly wired to the lighting unit and thus require maintenance on-site.
What is needed is a modular electrical assembly for an ornamental luminaire which allows for flexibility in design and where the system components may be readily repaired, replaced and adjusted.